Hi!
My name is Rick Lee and I will be your child's teacher this year. I’m delighted that your child is in my class! As a fifth grader, your child is one of the leaders of our school and will be a part of many exciting and enriching academic experiences this year. As a class, we will be working very hard to become excellent readers, writers, thinkers, and speakers. Students will also perfect their inter-personal skills as each child is assigned to a cooperative learning team where they will have numerous opportunities to work collaboratively. By the time your child leaves fifth grade, he/she will be more than ready to take on middle school! Your child deserves the most positive educational climate possible for his/her growth and I know that, together, we will make a difference in his/her life. Your support at home will help ensure your child’s success!
My name is Rick Lee and I will be your child's teacher this year. I’m delighted that your child is in my class! As a fifth grader, your child is one of the leaders of our school and will be a part of many exciting and enriching academic experiences this year. As a class, we will be working very hard to become excellent readers, writers, thinkers, and speakers. Students will also perfect their inter-personal skills as each child is assigned to a cooperative learning team where they will have numerous opportunities to work collaboratively. By the time your child leaves fifth grade, he/she will be more than ready to take on middle school! Your child deserves the most positive educational climate possible for his/her growth and I know that, together, we will make a difference in his/her life. Your support at home will help ensure your child’s success!
It's going to be a great year! Here's how you can help at home:
Upcoming Events:
June 7 - Culmination / Final Day of School
The Home Stretch! Final Week of School!
Our final week of school consisted primarily of rehearsing for culmination, wrapping up some classroom work, having a party to celebrate the publication of our book, and enjoying several events sponsored by our wonderful PTA. Here are some highlights:
May 31: Grade-Level Trip to Santa Cruz Island!
Students' second favorite day of the year finally arrived, and students were whisked to Ventura on two charter buses. From there, it was an hour-long boat ride to the island, where students had the opportunity to see the previously endangered island fox up close and take a lengthy hike around the island. As a huge bonus, our return trip found us in the midst of a large dolphin pod for several minutes, which was truly magical. Several parents (and Mrs. Brighton!) were able to join us on this end-of-year trip, making it an even more special occasion.
May 30: Field Trip to LAUSD's Storytelling Awards!
De was selected as one of 10 district-wide winners out of over 1,000 entries for his story about the impact NatGeo Explorer Cameron Kruse has had on him. As a result, the school district provided us with a bus to Torres High School, where we joined the other winners and their classmates. Each student's story was adapted in a short film by students in their performing arts program. As a nice bonus, Cameron Kruse was able to meet us there and everyone got to meet him in person for the first time!
May 24: Author Visit from Keith Calabrese!
Sometimes all you have to do is ask. I reached out to Keith Calabrese through social media in hopes that he would come talk with us about his debut novel, A Drop of Hope, and he said yes! Students really enjoyed his book and appreciated hearing about his writing process, his upcoming book, as well as some insights into how this novel changed over time. A special thank you to Lucy Chamberlain for the additional photos!
Thank you and farewell, Ms. Hensley!
Ms. Hensley's last day with us was May 3. During her time with us she led students through many highly engaging activities in multiple subjects. She did a terrific job and we're going to miss her!
We're lucky to have Ms. Destiny as our teacher assistant this year! Each day, she will be working with students in small groups in order to give them more support.
Join our PTA!!!
Help make things happen at Toluca Lake Elementary - either through donating some time, money, or both!
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Bring in those Box Tops!!!
WE HAD MORE BOXTOPS THAN ANYONE ELSE IN OCTOBER!
LET'S KEEP IT GOING ALL YEAR!
Growth Mindset: A Key to Our Success this Year!
NatGeo Capstone Project
We have been immersed in many activities since late September that were designed to deepen students' appreciation for nature and our responsibility to protect it. The video below shows part of that process. It was submitted to National Geographic as part of their Certified Educator program. I look forward to doing more projects like this throughout the rest of the year.
We're Committed to Making a Difference!
After all of the things that we have been learning about this year regarding the fragility of our environment and its ecosystems we are committed to doing everything we can to reduce our own ecological footprints. It starts with making sure trash around the schoolyard gets put where it belongs, but it doesn't stop there. Many students have also committed to share what they have been learning with their parents so that changes can happen at home too. We are all much more mindful about the concept of reducing, reusing, and recycling. We can make a difference!
We published a book!
Each year my class publishes a book entitled Our Favorite Toluca Lake Memories. This is a perfect opportunity for students to reflect on their favorite experiences as a Toluca Lake Tiger as well as have a really cool souvenir from the year. Who knows - this may be the first of many books published by some of these students!!!
Finishing strong with our final novel of the year!
Keith Calabrese's debut novel, A Drop of Hope, is our final reading project for the year. Thank you to all who contributed to the Donors Choose campaign that made it possible for us to have a class set that I can use each year. For the foreseeable future, this book will now be the first novel that my students read each year. Its message about hope and the power of practicing small acts kindness is a powerful one that will hopefully resonate with students throughout the year.
May 10: Friends of the Island Fox visits us!
To help prepare us for our end-of-year trip to Santa Cruz Island, Friends of the Island Fox came to educate us about how this unique animal came back from near-extinction to now have a thriving population on many of the Channel Islands. We can't wait to see them in person!
Science is fun! (Part 3)
We are participating in a research program sponsored by University of California Irvine in which they are evaluating the most effective ways to teach students certain science concepts. As you can see, the lessons are all fun and engaging and students have a deeper understanding as a result. What we are focusing on here are Earth and Space Systems, specifically why do we experience day and night, what is the difference between direct and indirect light, and why we have seasons.
Science is fun! (Part 2)
On May 9, UCLA professor Emil Masongsong brought along his associate, Fik, to teach all fifth grade students about the fascinating phenomenon of space weather, which is generated by our sun.
Science is fun! (Part 1)
As part of Brain Awareness Week, students learned about the brain, its functions, and created models.
Found Art
One of Ms. Hensley's final projects with students involved creating images based around everyday objects. This activity gave students the opportunity to think about the things they see every day in a new and creative way. Check out what they came up with!
April 25: Field Trip to the Broad Stage (NatGeo Live!)
Thanks to a bus and admission grant from the Broad Foundation, we were able to attend NatGeo photographer Thomas Peschak's presentation, "Wild Seas, Secret Shores." This trip built on many NatGeo-related experiences this year, all of which were intended to instill in students that we have a responsibility to protect nature. We also need to get outside, explore, and be curious about the world!
April 23: Field Trip to the Japanese American National Museum!
Thanks to an admission and transportation grant from the museum, students were able to visit and make stronger connections to what they had been learning about the incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II. Additionally, students learned more about Japanese culture through lessons in taiko and origami.
March 29: Field Trip to Riley's Farm!
Thanks to a very generous grant from Keeping History Alive, we were able to take 75 fourth and fifth graders to Riley's Farm! While there, students learned about the colonial lifestyle as well as some of the primary causes of the Revolutionary War. The highlight for most students was a mock battle with each other at the end, concluding with a stirring speech about how we all need to remember that the freedom that we enjoy should not be taken for granted, as many people have given their lives for it.
March 28: Tour of the 13 Colonies!
In preparation for our field trip to Riley's Farm the next day, students took a "tour" of the 13 colonies, learning a little about each one before we had to move on to the next stop.
March 28: Author Dana Middleton visits our class!
Students recently finished reading The Infinity Year of Avalon James and were fortunate to have the author visit our classroom! Dana answered questions about her book, offered encouraging words for this group of young authors, and took the time to meet with each student individually. It was a very inspiring morning!
March 21: The Debussy Trio returns to TLE!
The Debussy Trio comes to visit us almost every year and it is always a treat! Chamber music at its finest!
March 21: The SWAT Lab returns to TLE!
The SWAT Lab was out of commission for a few years, but it was back at TLE again this year and students got a crash course in the dangers posed by mosquitoes and what we can do to minimize the risk of them becoming a problem near our homes and neighborhood.
March 20: Field Trip to the Skirball Center
Thanks to an admission and transportation grant from the Skirball Center, students were led by docents through several activities and exhibits related to immigration and discrimination. An eye-opening experience for everyone!
March 19: LADWP Drop in the Bucket Program visits TLE!
The LADWP returned again this year with their highly engaging and informative Drop in the Bucket program, designed to educate students on the water cycle and the importance of conserving water. Highlights included a relay race and a collaborative effort to build the LA Aqueduct system.
March 18-22: NatGeo California EcoBlitz
This week-long event was an opportunity for students across California to get out and explore a given area on two different days and collect data as scientists. The first day an inventory of flora and fauna was taken using the iNaturalist app and the second day involved doing an inventory of the trash found in that same area. Given our previous work regarding trash (especially plastic) and its impact on the environment, it came as no surprise to us how much trash there really was once we started looking around. What was surprising, was how few living creatures we found. One highlight of this experience was being paired with a NatGeo Explorer, Cameron Kruse, who met with students via Google Hangouts to discuss our findings. Cameron challenged students to write and draw about a place that they would either like to protect or to explore, and we were able to have a follow-up conversation with him on May 3. The event culminated with a conference held in Long Beach on April 6. Mr. Lee attended, assisted by student representative, De. Both of us presented on our class's experience and enjoyed presentations by several NatGeo Explorers.
March 15: Field Trip to Stunt Ranch
This trip was made possible by a generous Keeping History Alive grant earned by Mr. Hagen-Smith. Students had the opportunity to explore nature and learn about how the Chumash utilized the resources in this area to make their home many years ago.
March 14: PI Day STEAM Lab Activity
After a brief discussion about the meaning of pi and its uses, students created pi bracelets in our STEAM Lab.
March 7: UCLA's Project: Brainstorm visits TLE
This week was Brain Awareness Week and we were fortunate to have several graduate students from UCLA show students presentations about different aspects of the brain as well as lead them through several activities designed to show us all what a complex system we have in our heads.
March 6: Field Trip to Cabrillo Marine Aquarium
This trip was made possible with a grant from the Key to the Sea organization and it was an opportunity for students to study the marine ecosystem more thoroughly. Unfortunately, we got a late start that day and traffic was brutal on a long, rainy drive so our visit was shorter than originally scheduled.
A Drop of Hope Donors Choose Project Gets Funded in 2 Days!
I had the opportunity to read an advance copy of Keith Callabrese's debut novel, A Drop of Hope, and knew that it would be perfect to share with my students. Thanks to the generosity of several parents and even some strangers, I was able to purchase a class set that will allow me to share it with students for many years to come.
Live Video Chats with Antarctic Explorers!
Throughout the months of January and February we will be participating in video calls with a team of scientists and explorers aboard the Agulhas II, who are currently in the Weddell Sea, off the coast of Antarctica. They are there to perform several experiments related to global warming research, but they will also be trying to reach the Endurance, Ernest Shackleton's ship that sank in 1915.
Food Forward Classroom Visits!
Ms. Michelle from Food Forward, a local food education group, will be visiting our classroom for six weeks to educate students on the impact that food waste has on society and the environment and how it can be minimized. Students will be writing informative essays based on what they have learned as well as creating a poster so that they may share what they have learned with others. As a bonus, each visit usually includes a treat made from food that might have otherwise gone to waste! Students get a copy of the recipe so that they can try making it at home!
February 7: Field Trip to the Reagan Library!
Thanks to a generous bus and admission scholarship from the Reagan Library, students were able to visit and learn more about our nation's 40th President. A definite highlight of the trip was students being given the opportunity to participate in one of three decision-making modules (Oval Office, Press Room, Military Command Center) that gave them insight into the tough decisions that had to be made during the Grenada Crisis of 1983. Many students said that it was their favorite trip so far this year!
February = FitnessGram!
Throughout February and into March, students will be practicing the physical fitness skills they will be evaluated on this year. Students will run a mile, complete a stamina run, and perform several strength and flexibility skills.
January 30: Field Trip to The Huntington Library & Gardens
Thanks to a field trip grant from The Huntington, we were able to visit their gardens and see many exhibits in their collections. Unfortunately, there are not many photos for this one because we were not allowed to take pictures on the guided portion of the tour and our free time to roam the grounds was very rushed as we tried to see as many highlights as possible.
December 7: Mrs. Brighton's Final Day
Today was an emotional one for students because today was Mrs. Brighton's final day. She has now completed her first semester student teaching and next semester she will be in another school, working in a K-2 classroom. She did a terrific job teaching students many language arts and math lessons. We all wish her the best. We were lucky to have her with us for a few months. Here is a video of her farewell poem to the class.
December 7: A Day of Gratitude
Inspired by an art exhibit at the LA Museum of the Holocaust, several classrooms created ornaments to place on a Gratitude Tree, or at least to share them with their class before taking them home. These could, of course, be used as holiday ornaments, but that was not the intention. Rather, it was an opportunity to document something that each of us are grateful for, acknowledging that we all have at least one thing to be truly grateful for. In our class, students shared what they are grateful for before placing their ornament on our tree. A huge thank you to artist Lucy Chamberlain for creating all of the ornaments and supplying the perfect tree. Visit her website to view some of her artwork at www.lucychamberlain.com.
December 6: Field Trip to the LA Museum of the Holocaust
As a culminating experience after reading The Children of Willesden Lane, students had the opportunity to visit the LA Museum of the Holocaust thanks to a grant from multiple organizations as part of the 2018 Willesden Read. While there, students had the opportunity to hear Holocaust survivor Joe Alexander speak about his life experiences as well as see many World War II-related artifacts. A very emotionally-stirring day!
In January, Nadia from LAMOTH came to do a follow-up art activity with the students that will be part of an exhibit on display over the summer.
In January, Nadia from LAMOTH came to do a follow-up art activity with the students that will be part of an exhibit on display over the summer.
November 30: Field Trip to the Sepulveda Wildlife Reserve!
Thanks to a bus scholarship through the Santa Monica Conservatory and the San Fernando Valley Audubon Society, we were able to see firsthand many of the things we have been learning about in class. Migratory birds, adaptations, environmental hazards, and poor human behavior were all on display on a beautiful, brisk day. It had rained the day prior, so we got to see what trash remained in Haskell Creek, knowing that much of what had been there the day before was well on its way to the ocean. I hope to have a group of people from Toluca Lake Elementary join in a clean-up scheduled there for sometime in April.
November 29: Field trip to UCLA!
Thanks to a bus grant from Design to Learn, we were able to see a performance by Sweet Honey in the Rock, a Grammy-winning group who sing songs about empowerment and joining together as a community. They sang songs from multiple genres, with plenty of participation from the audience! We also had the opportunity to visit with Dr. Katsushi Aritaka, who is a professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy. He is one of the creators of the LHC (Large Hadron Collider) at CERN, in Switzerland. He is now primarily focusing his research in the relationship between human consciousness and the origin of the universe. Fascinating stuff!
November 26 & 28: Guest lecturers from SFVAS!
On Monday and Wednesday, we were fortunate to have classroom visits by Paula Orlovich (accompanied by her associate, Rosie) and Dave Weeshoff - all from the San Fernando Valley Audubon Society. Paula and Rosie taught the students about birds and led them through an art activity. Dave taught the students a little bit more about birds and gave a presentation on the threats caused to the Sepulveda Wildlife Reserve by humans. We are determined to be part of the solution, not the problem!
November 16: Kaiser Permanente Workshop
Two days ago, a group of actors sponsored by Kaiser Permanente came to our school to teach everyone how to deal with difficult situations. As part of the show, students were given the phrase, "Stop, Breathe, Choose" to help them in times of stress. What you see here are photos taken from Part 2 - a workshop that gave students more practice with that concept. As a bonus, there were drums!
November 15: Field Trip to the Griffith Observatory!
Thanks to a bus grant from the Friends of the Observatory, we were able to visit the Griffith Observatory while it was not open to the public. This was a very fun and informative trip for students!
October 30: Field Trip to the Music Center!
Thanks to a grant from the LA Museum of the Holocaust and their partners, we had the opportunity to attend a concert by pianist Mona Golabek. We are currently reading The Children of Willesden Lane, a biography of Lisa Jura (Ms. Golabek's mother), which details Lisa's escape from Nazi Germany in World War II. Not many photos to share because we could not take pictures inside. The monument featured below was designed by a Holocaust survivor. Also featured are the postcards that students created and sent to Mona Golabek.
October 25: Field Trip to the Annenberg Space for Photography!
Thanks to a bus grant from the Annenberg Foundation, we were able to visit Joel Sartore's National Geographic photo exhibit, Photo Ark. As part of that experience, students applied what they had been learning about biomes to new information about endangered animals - especially in regards to society's role in damaging animals' habitats. Joel Sartre's goal with his Photo Ark project is to get people to care about the animals - his mission was certainly accomplished with this group of students! Note the assignment below that this visit inspired. Not many photos to share because we could not take pictures inside.
October 19: Moon Rock Assembly!
We were fortunate to have genuine moon rocks and meteorites at our school for three weeks as part of our annual Star Party. In honor of this, students worked very hard with their teammates to present on seven different moon-related topics to the entire student body - that took three different assemblies! Students truly rose to the occasion and did a terrific job.
Sept. 15 - Oct. 15: Hispanic Heritage Month!
Miscellaneous good times!
We work hard, but we like to have fun too!
October 4: Field Trip to the Petersen Museum!
Thanks to a grant from the Petersen Automotive Museum, we were able to visit them and learn about the history of the automobile, its effects on our society and culture over time, and how cars are designed. There were many science and art concepts that tied into what we have been studying in class, including speed (downforce, drag, and drafting), line, and the impact we have on our environment.
Tuesdays in October - Biomes with LA Zoo's Carol!
For the past few years we have been very lucky to have a volunteer docent from the LA Zoo, Carol Ackerly, visit our school to give presentations on different biomes found all around the world. She always provides the students with detailed information and brings artifacts from each biome for students to observe.
A rare opportunity!
We recently read The Unbreakable Code, a historical fiction story about Navajo code talkers. On September 27, there was an opportunity to meet one of the remaining nine who are still alive. Three people from Toluca Lake Elementary made the journey out to Azusa to meet Mr. MacDonald.
September 27: Field Trip to the Floating Marine Lab!
Our first field trip of the year was a great one! We had the opportunity to go to San Pedro and take a boat out into the harbor to learn more about marine biology and the watershed of Los Angeles, in general. Students fished for plankton, analyzed it under microscopes, dredged the bottom of the harbor, tested water salinity and clarity, and analyzed live specimens brought up with a net and placed into a touch tank. For many students, this was their first time on a boat, so it was an experience they will never forget. Thank you to the LA County Office of Education and the Watershed Project for making this trip possible. Special thanks to Mrs. Risk for the additional photos!
Special Immigration Exhibit!
Nestled against the walls between Rooms 15 and 17 was a special display on the history of immigration in the United States. This exhibit was on loan courtesy of the Gilder-Lehrman Foundation from late September until the first week of October. Next up: Emancipation, coming in late February.
YouTHink!
Ms. Payton from YouTHink will be with us for three separate days in September and October, educating students about the importance of respecting other cultures, as well as guiding them through activities so they can learn more about their own.
Cooperative Learning Experiences!
Throughout the year, students will be involved in many different activities where they help each other learn various topics while building essential social skills.
Garden Rangers!
We are lucky to have the Garden Ranger program again this year! We will get to learn more about plants and nature over the next five or six weeks. Our first lesson involved harvesting seeds from an onion plant. One student remarked about how simple plants had always seemed, but they are actually fascinating!
New STEAM Lab!
Our new STEAM Lab is amazing! We look forward to doing many cool things in there this year. Our first visits involved an engineering activity designed by Ms Velasco and an art lesson from Ms Crigler. In art, students are learning about design concepts and working on creating chair prototypes!
The Unit "You"
I've been taking an online math course taught by Jo Boaler, a professor at Stanford University. She specializes in studying how kids learn math and shares ways to make topics more accessible to students. As part of our unit on Base Ten, we spent a day where a representative from each team became the unit of measurement. Students then worked in teams to find out what 10 of this person looked like, 100, 1000, and 1/10. Good times, and many students had a much better grasp of this concept afterwards!
First Week of School!
We worked on several collaborative learning experiences during the first week of school! We started things off with a get-to-know-each-other bingo activity. Students also listened to me read the classic Shel Silverstein story The Giving Tree, and they had to decide what they thought the most important gift was that the tree gave the boy. Most students felt it was the stump, and no one thought it was the trunk. There was no wrong answer as long as they could justify their response in some way. We also worked with pentominoes in math, and students worked together to discover all twelve of them. The year is off to a great start!